The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1887-05-11
THE CALL OF MOSES.
EXPLANATORY NOTES BY S. j.
CURTIss, PHI. o., D. 3.

Lesson VII of tho international Scrlcs
Second 3narter], for Sunday, May IL.
Text of tho Losson, Eek. Ill, II, IL.
Goldon Text, Eek. iv, IL.
SAtoscs never lost tho consciousness, that ho
WIS n Hcbrow. Whether he kept I'D ac-
quaintanco with his own mother wo do not
know. 1t is not improbable. That conscious.
ness was reused to tho utmost when ho saw
his brethren suffering under their burdens.
Acting under tho impulse Of tho moment. ho
Killed the task master who was beating his
brother Hebrew md hid his body IN the Sand
TX. Il, ii, l@. Tho noxt day, when ho saw
Two hebrews striving together and rcbnkcd
tis ono VINO lid tho wrong, no was alarmed
70 hear him say: "Who made thco Il prince
ana q judge ovcr us? TIinkest thou to kill nc
asshou killc.lst tho IGgyptianr devised YER
si2N.} Tho affair became known to tho king,
who sought to kill him. Moses therefore
Iled. There were two directions which he
might naturally have taken. Ono was tho di-
Iect road TO Canaan. But this was full Of
danger, for Ramsos II, who Is supposed to
have been tho king from whom lo fled. had n
treaty with tho Hittitcs at least which de-
lhailded tho delivering up Of any fugitivcs
WHO might seek to escape from Egypt. Moses
.hGreiore, as many years later, took Il south
cry route to tho land Of INDIAN, which is
commonly supposed to have been situated east
OF the Elnnitic Gulf, although tho INDIAN in
tended hero must have been in tho southern
anA EASTERN part Of tho Sinaitic peninsula.
lhero through his politoness to tho daughters
OF the priest of INDIAN, who, like the daugl-
tsfs OF tie bCdoiiin uf to-day, wefo i;,sturirg
their fathers fiocks, he became son-in.law OF
Jethro.
ihls experience of Moses was on important
ptlG of Gods plan. Moses needed IL different
KIND OF training from that which ho had had
Mt tho court Of Pharaoh. That training ho
was to receive in tho awful Solitudes Of tho
wilderness through which no was to conduct
Gods chosen people. at tho timo he fled
from Egypt they were not ready for deliver
anco. Mo- was the timo ripe. The most
powerful Of the Pharaohs, il wo may boliovo
the concurrent testimony Of Egyptian schol-
airs, then sat OH tho throne. The timo for tho
exodus was to come during tho dccadenco OF
the Egyptian power under Metropolitan. Gods
proyidential leading was thus manifest at
cvery stage Of Moses life.
After long years had elapsed tho glorious
reign or King l{amscs II camo to an end. Ho
was followed by his thirteenth son, Mernepll-
tab. God heard the grooming Of his people,
and remembered his covenant with Abraham.
Isaac and Jacob. :
Isl. . THE LESSON.
Moses and Ills Flock ". D-Moses wns still
keeping tho flock Of his fatllor-in-law, Jotl,ro.
1t Is probable that il in tho enthusiasm of
carly manhood he had thought lie could de-
liver his people, he had long since rclin-
pushed that hope. At Gods chosen timo hc
icads his flock 70 the back part Of tho wilder
ness, to Tho mountain, which III subsequent
history cainc to be known az tho mountain Of
0tii, which was then known rs Horcb, and in
otLSr passages rs Sinai, which Palmer holds
waslhc samo as Jebcl Musa.
i4e burning Bush ". %)-lVhilo there tho
ahl3l OF jehovah, who is known in Now Test
alnl1nt language as the Son of God, appeared
pt1lnl III q fiamo OF fire out Of the midst of
,,2tpas,f '1fedid not recognize nc fiisC who
it vas but he was amazed to sec a thorn busl,
on fire which was not consumed. The mani.
fcstathn of God by fro is a ~favorito symbol
III tho Old Testament. Perhaps it is difficult
to DO 'nrc of tho typical Specification intended
here ny the appearance in tho bush.
V. ,. at first Moses curiosity was sim,Jy
aroused. Io said III will turn aside and SEQ
this great sight-why the bush is not con
sumcl."
VS.. A., 8. As no turned no found that It WIS
not merely q natural manifestation but God
himself called to him out of the midst of the
bush, and bado him tnio his sandals Off his
fect, because tho ground OH which no was
standing was holy. To uncover the feet was
n sign OF reverence in tho cast, md still is to-
day Of something tho same sort as uncoyerinp
the head with us. ~
N.h. God then proclaimed himself as tho
Gal OF his father" used in n collective sense
OF Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Moses was
afraid, when no understood that it was God
himself, to look OH tho thorn bush, partly,
perhaps, from a sense of his unworthiness and
partly because no might nave folt that he
could not behold God and live.
God Remembers His People Tvs. 7.M-God
had not been unmindful Of his people. Eyory
blow TINT had fallen from tho lash Of tho
Egyptian taslsmastcr, and evcry cry that tnoy
ma llfted UP, mad been marked by him and
had touched his heart.
Speaking ms n man, so that Moses and his
people might understand him, he snys that le
has como Gown to deliver them from tho
hands OF tn" Egyptians and bring them into
q good and largo country flowing with mill,
and honey.
The country Of Palestine, which is not
much larger thnn tho state Of New fIamD-
shire, would DO n small country to us, but in
comparison with tho land Of Goshen. only
part OF which thoy occupied, or even Of the
upper part OF Egypt itself, which embraces
only the valley Of tho Milo, which is not more
than seven miles wide, IL would seem to BIO n
wide country. According to the testimony
OF other ancient writers it WIS q very fruit
full country. and might we'll be spoken of, IN
o ffgurativo sense, as flowing with milk and
honey.
The Canaanites-The nations here mon.
toned arc only u part Of those sometimes
enumerated. Wo know from modern invcs.
legations that the Hittites wero q very power
ful people, who resisted Ramscs II for wears
ana VINO iihally made u treaty Of peace with